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For Liberty and Justice: thoughts from the conference of African Students for Liberty

I had the opportunity to attend the West African Regional Conference of the African Students for Liberty Organization which took place on Friday the 26th and Saturday the 27th of July 2013 at the main hall of the conference centre of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The conference which attracted attendees from all over Nigeria and from Ghana and even from as far as the United States of America, featured quite a number of thought leaders on libertarianism and social development in Africa and in the World. The following are a few of the ideas they shared. Some of these ideas are quotes from them directly, some of them are thoughts expressed by them but which have been modified by me

Alexander McCobin Co Founder and Executive Director of the Students for Liberty (USA)

People without ideas are dangerous; ideas without people are empty mirages

On the need for individuals to advance the cause of liberty

Fighting for liberty is a cause worthy of you

Quoting Tom G. Palmer on the need for individuals to join in fighting for liberty

The call for the battle for liberty is not first of all a physical battle; it is first of all, an intellectual battle of raising ideas and propounding arguments

On the role of violence in the fight for liberty

Good leaders always find ways to succeed. A true winner will always find a way to win

Every individual has the right to pursue activities for the betterment of his life whether materially, intellectually and emotionally, using his own body and property and the properties of consenting others

Expounding on the principles of Liberty

Japheth Omojuwa, Social Media Activist and editor of AfricanLiberty.org (Nigeria)

To engage your society effectively you have to know the tools you have and to use them effectively

On how to use social media to engage society effectively

Do not over intellectualize your ideas; communicate with people by using the realities they are used to

On the proper way to relate with people on social media

The beauty of every system is its constituent parts; no part is inconsequential enough to be dismissed, while no part is also so important that it can make the whole all by itself

On why he chose social media as his own platform in his fight for liberty

Attack issues, not personalities, because one day you may need those in positions of power whom you have attacked to fight a battle with you

On how not to use social media

The world is no longer just a global village; it has become a global chat room

On the need for every Nigerian to get on social media

You say I should help the poor, but you say I should not be rich, how can I help the poor if I am one of them?

Quoting Jay-Z Carter on the need to use one’s ideas to better one’s lot

Kelly Barber, Member of the North American Executive Board of Students for Liberty (USA)

Do the things that scare you, if you do not do those things, you will not live a productive, fulfilled life

On the need for individuals to not shy away from taking on leadership roles

Adedayo Thomas, Atlas Economic Research Foundation (Nigeria)

the only true payment for worthy of an excellent idea is the satisfaction of the originator of that idea

On entrepreneurship and how large the limit of honest profit can be

Helping others should always be voluntary at all times; man is by nature created to advance his own cause above all, no man should be made to share what he is unwilling or unable to give with others

On how an ideal society should operate

God bless the inventors, the risk takers, the entrepreneurs, the ones who boldly go where no one has gone before

On why capitalism is the only model that yields beneficial results

More often than not good freedom fighters are often poor administrators and Africa has lagged behind for so long because she has been saddled with these kinds of leaders.

On the problem with Africa

Ajibola Adigun, Chartered Team Member of the Students for Liberty (Nigeria)

Leadership skills on the most part are not learnt from reading books, they are learnt from discussions with other leaders and by getting out and taking leadership responsibilities

On the need to get out to actively support the cause of freedom

…And a few personal additions:

You shall know the truth and the truth and the truth shall set you free. John 8:32

The 40th law of power says despise the free lunch what is given free has an hidden obligation, do not expect that the mountain will ever come to Mohammed, Mohammed should always go to the mountain

Saying people would misuse the opportunity of liberty if given to them is a fallacious argument, because every true fighter for the cause of liberty knows that with liberty comes a sense of responsibility

To change a thing one must first know why it exists

The world stands like a patient horse waiting for the man who can grab the harness of his ideas, who can face his fears and have the courage to get in the saddle, such a man deserves to ride to fame and glory